Ponting is feeling confident ahead of the Ashes series

Ponting said Australia were below-par in their series win in Bangladesh because they had arrived straight after playing three Tests in South Africa.

"The programme has been very demanding," said Ponting. "We just didn't have a break."

"We certainly have to have a look at the amount of time between Tests."

Ponting, whose side wrapped up a 2-0 series win over Bangladesh on Thursday, added: "We played five in five weeks, and in pretty extreme conditions. That is, as far as I am concerned, unacceptable.

Our Test cricket can't be faulted really since the last Ashes Test match Ricky Ponting

"A two-day break between the Test matches we just played is nowhere near enough. I think we saw the effects of that on day one in the first Test in Dhaka.

"We had guys who, if we were fair dinkum, probably shouldn't have played - shoudn't have taken the field because they were totally exhausted and fatigued."

But Ponting is happy with his team's form ahead of their attempt to regain the Ashes in November.

Australia have beaten West Indies, South Africa and Bangladesh since losing the urn to England last summer, while pacemen Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz have returned to form.

"Our Test cricket can't be faulted really since the last Ashes Test match," said Ponting.

"Everything we have done has been very, very good quality. The areas that we needed to have address after England, I think we have addressed.

"We have certainly turned a number of things around and we are heading in the right direction.

"I will be very confident going in, knowing we have a very good settled line-up and a bunch of guys who are going to do everything they can to try to win the Ashes back."